Lighting fixture of the electric-candle type



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,279

G. J. MEUER LIGHTING FIXTURE OF THE ELECTRIC CANDLE TYPE Filed May 25,1927 54 1NVENTOR.

A ITORNEY.

Patented Feb. 2c, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,703,219 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. MEUER, OF-MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, TO THE CUTLER-HAMMERMFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. v I

LIGHTING FIXTURE OF THE ELECTBICANDLE TYPE.

Application filed May 25, 1927. Serial No. 194,093.

This invention relates to improvements in lightin fixtures of theelectric candle type.

An 0 ject of the invention is to provide an electric candle lightingfixture of simple'and durable construction, the parts of which may bereadily and quickl assembled.

Another and more specie object is to provide a lamp socket of'theelectric candle type the parts of which are interlocked against relativelateral movement whereby the same may be rigidly secured to each otherand to a suitable support by means'of a single fastening screw.

Another object is to provide improved means for supporting theinsultating enclosin shell for the socket.

' ther objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter a pear.

The accompanying rawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention whichwill now be described, it being understood that the constructionillustrated is susceptible of modification without departing from thescolple of the appended claims.

the drawing, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of an electric candlefixture constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the fixture illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, the section being taken at ri ht anglesto that of Fig. 1, and

- Fig. 4 il ustrates'the various parts ofthe device shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3j prior to assembly thereof, and with the insulating shell orprotective tube omitted.

Referring to the'Hrawing, in which like characters of referencedesignate like parts throughout the several figures, I have shown asupporting bracket comprisin a vertical portion 20 with integral parallehorizontal arms 21 and 22. The lower arm 22 is provided with an opening23 to receive the reduced end portion 24 of a bushing 25, which endportion may be spun over as shownto secure said parts to ether.Bushing'25 is preferably threaded internally, as indicated at 26, tocooperate with a threaded pipe or wire conduit (not shown), a set screw27 be-t ing also provided to lock the bushing and pipe against relativerotation.

The upper arm 21 of the bracket is provided intermediate its ends withan opening 28 which is sufiiciently large to rovide clearance for asecuring screw 29, t e head 30 of which serves as a center contact ofthe socket, as hereinafter more fully described. Arm 21 is also providedadjacent the free end thereof with an upwardly projecting boss 31, whichis adapted to take within a perforation 32 in an insulating disk orplate 33, as shown in Fig. 1.

Also as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the vertical portion 20 of thesupporting bracket is provided with an opening34 to receive a tongue 35oh an insulating disk 36, whereby the shoulders 37 and 38 on the latterare adapted to abut against the inner side of said vertical portion 20.Disk 36 is provided with an opening 39 to receive an upwardly strucklu'g 40 on a terminal plate 41,.as hereinafter more fully described.While I have thus far separately described the disks 33 and 36 withreference to the functions thereof, it will be noted that said disks areof identical construction. Thus disk 33 is provided with a tongue 35 tobe alined with tongue 35 when the parts are in assembled position,whereas eachof said disks is provided with an opening 42 to permitpassage of securing screw 29, and each is further provided with a tongueor projection 43 to be likewise alined when the parts are assembled.

A notch 44 in each of saiddisks provides for interlocking engagementthereof with the downwardly projection portion 45 to a terminal plate 46The body ortion of said plate is preferably substantial y pear-shapeding with the opening 48in the latter. Openings .51 and 48 aresufiiciently large to provide clearance for the aforementioned screw 29;whereas-plate 46 isfurther provided with a downwardly projecting boss 52to take within an opening 53 in said bottom wall whereby said plate andthe screw-shell contact 50 may be locked against relative lateralmovement.

The bottom wall 49 of screw-shell contact 50 is likewise provided with apair of.diav metrically-spaced openings 54, which are adapted to insureagainst. engagement of the boss 31 of arm 21 with said contact (as shownin Fig. 1) it being obvious that the parts may be assembled with thedownwardly projecting portions and 45 of the termlnal plates 41 and 46in the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 3, or in reverse positionsrespectively. As aforestated, the terminal plate 41 is pro vided with alug 40 for interlocking engagement with disk 36, whereas the horizontalportion of the former is provided with a tapped opening 56 to receivethe shank of screw 29. The head 30 of screw 29 is separated from' thescrew-shell contact 50 by means of an insulating disk 57 which coverssubstantially the entire bottom wall 49 of said contact, said disk.having an opening 58 to provide for centering of the screw. I alsopreferably interpose between screw head 30 and insulating disk 57 ametallic disk 59 having an opening to accommodate the shank 29 of thescrew, said metallic disk thus serving as a clamping member and as aproper bearing surface for the screw-head 30.

Each of the downwardly projecting portions 45 and 55 of the terminalplates is provided with a binding orterminal screw 61 of conventionalform. Theinsulating protective shell 62 as shown in Figs/1, 2 and 3 maycomprise a section of wound paper tubing,

cardboard, or other relatively inexpenslve material. As shown, the upperend thereof;

is adapted to extend slightly above the upper end of screw-shell contact50, whereas the lower end thereof is adapted to extend downwardlysufficiently to cover and protect the binding screws 6'1.-- Properpositioning of tube 62 is insured by the provision of a pair of slots 63which extend upwardly from the lower edge thereof; said slots being justsufficiently wide to accommodate the projections 43, 35 and 35 on disks33 and 36 to assist in locking said parts against relative lateralmovement, whereas said tube is adapted to rest upon the projections 35and 43' of disk 33.

In assembling the parts the metallic disk 59 and insulating disk 57 maybe strung upon the shank 29 of the screw and these parts dropped intothe screw shell contact 50,-

l preferably after insertion and proper positioning of the terminalplate 46 with its boss 52 engaging the opening 53 in said contact shell.Thereafter the disk 33 may be strung upon the shank 29 of the screw,with the longer projection 35 of the former extending toward the right,as shown in Fig. 1, and with the notch 44 engaging the downwardlyproecting portion 45 of the terminal plate 46. Thereupon the projection35 of disk 36 may be inserted through opening 34 in the support 20, andthese parts are then likewise strung upon the screw in such manner thatthe boss 31 of the arm 21 enters opening 32 in disk 33 and notch 44indisk 36 engages the aroaa're aforementioned downwardly projectingportion 45 of terminal plate 46.

Thereafter terminal plate 41 is positioned so that its projecting lug 40enters the opening 39 in disk 36, in which position the tapped opening56 will be in alinement with the shank 29 of the screw. The head 30 ofthe screw is preferably fiat to provide a proper center contact, whereasthe same, is provided with angular sides to permit rotation thereof bymeans of a suitable socket wrench. Tightening of the screw thus providesforclamping all parts between the metallic disk 59 and terminal plate41, whereby the same are firmly secured to each other and to the arm 21of the support. Thereafter the insulating tube 62 may be slid over thescrew-shell contact 50 until the ends of the slots 63 rest upon theprojections 35 and 43 of disk 33, in which position .to the tube thebinding screws upon the respective terminal plates will be properlyinsulated and protected; so that either a metallic or insulating outercandle tube or shell (not shown) may be employed in conjunction with mydevice.

Although the arrangement is such that the insulating tube 62 may bereadily elevatedto permit wiring of the fixture, nevertheless it isdesirable to provide a fairly close fit between said tube and thescrew-shell contact 50 so that the former will normally remain inassembled position with respect to the latter.

" While I have shown but one length of support for the fixture, it willbe obvious that supports having vertical portions 20 of any desiredlength may be employed if desired; whereas it is also obvious that anysuitable form of adjustable connection between the horizontal arms 21and 22 may be substituted for the integral portion 20.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In a lighting fixture of the electric candle type, the combinationwith a metallic support comprising an upright portion and an integralarm extending at substantially right angles thereto, a thin punchedinsulating disk on each side of said arm and means for interlockingsaid" parts against relative lateral movement, a screw-shell contact anda terminal plate therefor arranged above one of said disks, saidterminal plate having a portion projectng downwardly therefrom, a

center contact terminal plate arranged be- I neath the othenof saiddisks. said last mentioned terminal .plate also having a downwardlyprojecting portion, and a member penetrating all of said parts andhaving mechanical and electrical engagement with said center contactterminal plate to clamp said parts against relative longitudinalmovement. j

2. In a lightin fixture of the electric candle type, the com inationwith a screw-shell contact, a terminal plate engaging said conplates inparallel relation to each other, binding screws in said lugs, a metallicsupport having an arm interposed between said terminal plates, punchedmsulatinplates interposed between the former and t e latter,interlocking connections between the several parts to prevent relativelateral movement thereof, a

combined center contact and screw extending through all of said partsand mechanically and electrically engaging said center contact terminalplate to clam all of said parts against relative longitu inal movement,and means for insulatin said center contact from said screw-shellcontact.

3. In a lighting fixture of the electric candle ty e, the combinationwith a metallic support aving vertically spaced horizontal arms, punchedinsulating disks arranged above and below one of said arms andinterlocking therewith against relative lateral movement, a screw-shellcontact arranged above the upper insulating disk, a terminal plateoverlappin a surface of said screwshell contact an having portions ininter.- locking engagement with the same and with said insulating disks,a center contact terminal plate arranged beneath the lower insulatingdisk and interlocked therewith, against relative lateral movement,integral lugs dependin from the respective terminal plates, and a 'eadedscrew extendin downwardly through said parts and mec anically andelectrically engaging said center contact terminal plate to clamp saidparts against relative longitudinal movement, the head of said screwbeing adapted to form the center conport having tact of the socket.

dle type, the combination with a metallic supa horizontal arm, ascrew-shell contact an a separable terminal plate therefor arranged onone side of said arm, a punched insulating disk interposed between saidscrew-shell contact and said arm, a terminal plate arranged on theapposite side of said arm, a punched insulating disk interposed betweensaid last-mentioned terminal plate and'said arm, integral terminal lugsextending downwardly from the res tive terall of said elements againstrelative latera movement, and means for clamping said elements againstrelative longitudinal movement, said means comprisin a combined centercontact and screw exten ing through said elements and having mechanicaland electrical engage-3 mleizt with said second mentioned terminal p ae. 1

5. In a lighting fixture of the electriccandle type, the combinationwith a metallic support having a horizontal arm, a screw-shell contactand a separable terminal plate therefor arranged on one side of saidarm, a punched insulating disk interposed between said screw-shellcontact and said arm, a terminal plate arranged on the opposite side ofsaid arm, a punched insulating disk interposed between saidlast-mentioned terminal plate and said arm, said insulating disks beingof likeshape and dimensions, means for interlocking all of said elementsagainst relative lateral movement, means for clamping said elementsagainst relative longitudinal movement, said means comprising a combinedcenter contact and screw extending through said elements and havingmechanical and electrical engagement with said last-' insulating disksinterposed between said arm and said terminal plates, lateralprojections on certain of said disks, and an insulating tube slidabledownwardliyi over said parts,

said tube having upwar extending slots for cooperation with saidprojections to definitely position the same with respect to said 4. In alighting fixture of the electric can- .p

between said terminalplates, thin punched insulating disks interposedbetween said arm and said terminal plates, lateral projections oncertain of said disks, and an insulating tube slidable downwardly oversaid parts, a

said tube being adapted for frictional engagement with sa1d screw-shellcontact and having slots extending upwardly from the lower end thereoffor cooperation with said projectionsto definitely position-the tubeboth longitudinall and clrcumferentially ,with res ct to sai arts.

n witness w e'reof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE 'J, MEUER.

